Mary Croughan, provost and executive vice chancellor, sent the following message this morning (Jan. 9):

Dear Students, Staff, Faculty and Academic Appointees,

Happy 2023! I hope you had the opportunity to spend time with loved ones and friends over the break and feel ready and recharged for this winter quarter.

We are very happy the four UAW bargaining units reached agreements with the University of California in December, and that we are moving forward together. Information will continue to be shared through deans and department chairs as we work to implement the new contract terms.

The last few months of the year were very challenging, and many of us experienced uncertainty, frustration and anxiety. It is understandable there may be some lingering effects.

I hope that we can begin a process of renewing our sense of community by remembering that we are all part of UC Davis. We want to make a difference for individuals, for society, for our planet. Aggies are at our best when we support one another, working together toward our common goals.

I ask that as you interact with one another in the coming weeks and months, please remember our shared passion for making the world a better place. Across departments, colleges and schools, spanning all programs, majors and roles, we are connected by that passion.

What follows is a lengthy message with important information for all. I would be grateful if you would take the time to read it in its entirety.

Students

Thank you for your patience and perseverance during the strike. We know the strike impacted classes, tutoring and grading, and we recognize the significant challenges you faced during fall quarter. Please see the updates below related to grading for fall quarter.

• No Grade (NG) or missing grades: In the update shared on December 2, I noted that you may see NG (no grade) temporarily appear in your Student Record. As you are aware, some instructors of record were impacted by the strike and could not submit all of their letter grades by the December 28 deadline. This may result in NG or you may see grades are missing in your Student Record. We are working with instructors of record to resolve this as quickly as possible.
• NG or missing grade impact: As a reminder, while we wait for instructors of record to finish their grading, we are doing everything we can to mitigate any impacts on current and recently graduated students. If our systems indicate you are currently on academic probation due to one or more NGs or missing grades on your student record, please know that your academic standing will be reassessed when a final grade is recorded. Please reach out to your academic advisor to discuss your academic status.
• Letter grades: Instructors of record are being asked to submit letter grades no later than February 13. This deadline is well in advance of the end of winter quarter.
• Prior NGs or Incompletes: If you have an NG or an Incomplete from a quarter prior to fall 2022 that you could not resolve during the fall quarter due to the strike, please contact your academic advisor to discuss your academic status.
• Academic standing: If you were not in good academic standing when you entered fall quarter and you were unable to improve your academic standing because of the strike, or if you are not in good academic standing following fall quarter as a result of the strike, please contact your academic advisor to discuss your academic status.

Staff

I speak for every member of the university community when I offer my sincerest thanks to you all. You continue to go above and beyond, as you so often do in supporting our university’s success. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to one another, to our faculty and to our students. At the time of annual performance reviews, please make note of your extraordinary efforts and any additional work you did as a result of the strike.

Faculty and instructors of record

I know that many faculty and other instructors of record worked tirelessly through the holidays to submit grades by the extended deadline. I want to recognize and share my deep appreciation for your work, particularly given that in some cases you did not have the support you are accustomed to and deserve. Seeing you support one another was heartening and inspiring. Knowing that many of you experienced hardships and challenges because of the strike, I am very thankful and proud that an overwhelming majority of instructors of record were able to submit grades by the December 28 deadline.

• For those who still need to submit grades: If you were affected by the strike and have yet to submit letter grades, please contact your department chair or supervisor as soon as possible to inform them of your plan to complete the submission of fall grades. All letter grades must be submitted no later than February 13.
• For those who need support to complete grading: I am extending my offer to provide funding for hiring extra grading help to assist instructors of record impacted by the labor stoppage. Instructors of record who would like to request support should contact their department chair or supervisor to coordinate with their dean’s office immediately.
• For those who submitted NGs: Please convert NGs to letter grades no later than February 13. Instructions on converting NGs to letter grades can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
• For those who submitted NGs for graduate courses: If possible, please convert NGs to letter grades or S/U no later than February 13. If you need additional time, please work with your graduate students to determine if converting a grade of NG to Incomplete is appropriate.
• For instructors of record who went above and beyond to ensure continuity of instruction: You will have an opportunity to include a “Strike Impact Statement” in your next merit cycle, explaining the impact the strike had on your research and teaching activities and any extraordinary efforts you may have made in service of the university’s teaching mission. Moreover, you will be able to include these extraordinary efforts under University Service in MIV. Academic Affairs will soon share more information.

Strike-related announcements can still be found on the Academic Affairs website, and you are still able to submit questions to strikequestions@ucdavis.edu.

There is much work ahead, and I thank you in advance for your continued patience, collaboration and support. Here’s to a successful winter quarter and a fantastic new year.

All the best,

Mary Croughan
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor